…Describes His Investiture as a Crowning Moment, Calls for Greater Value for Humanities
By Waziri Isa Adam Gwantu
The Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, has warned that “over-reliance on technology alone will destroy us,” saying Artificial Intelligence, firearms and armored tanks cannot guarantee societal peace without the grounding of the humanities.
Prof. Ibileye gave the warning yesterday at the University of Lagos during his investiture as a Regular Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, the nation’s apex body for the humanities. The event drew scholars and well-wishers from across the country.
In an interview with FCT News Gazette after the ceremony, the VC described the honour as “a crowning moment.” “Naturally, one would be glad. One would be elated… I believe that this is a crowning moment because this is the highest recognition in the humanities,” he said. He noted that the recognition came after a rigorous and competitive process.
Prof. Ibileye said the investiture affirmed the place of humanistic research in national development. He stressed that science and technology must be guided by human understanding to be useful. “Because science, artificial intelligence, technology cannot drive society. We need to understand societies from a humanistic point of view, in order to endow science, technology with a humanistic approach, so that we can use technology for the good of society… it has to be anchored on the understanding of the needs of the society,” he stated.
The VC warned of the dangers of a world driven only by technology and force. “Because the way the world is going, if we rely on technology alone, if we rely on firearms alone, if we rely on armored tanks alone, we will destroy one another. Because our understanding of human relationships can even prevent the use and deployment of armament, of warfare before they escalate. Humanities can provide the foundation of understanding that will help us to prevent conflicts that will degenerate to warfare.”
He called on government to realign policies and accord greater prominence to the humanities, which he said have been sidelined. “There must be a deliberate realignment of governmental policies because I believe that we have not demonstrated sufficient understanding of the value of the humanities. We have elevated scientific studies, scientific research over and above research in the humanities,” he said.
Prof. Ibileye faulted the 60:40 university admission ratio skewed toward science courses. “Starting from the admissions into the university which is skilled in favor of the sciences, 60 to 40, as if the humanities are of no relevance and of no value. I think that we have to retrace our steps and place premium on humanistic studies,” he added.
He also emphasized the need to mainstream indigenous languages in education, noting from the investiture lecture that children learn best when taught in their mother tongue in their formative years.
To demonstrate commitment, Prof. Ibileye said FUL has established a Centre for Translational Humanities, which he described as the first of its kind on the African continent. “We are already doing that… I have just established a centre for translational humanities… whereby scholars or graduates of the humanities are not just taught theories, but they translate their theories to things that can lead to practical interventions in the society. That is the whole essence of that translational humanities,” he explained.
The Nigerian Academy of Letters is the preeminent scholarly body in the humanities in Nigeria.
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